There are 97 EMPTY federal judge seats!

[Joanne98]

By Carl Tobias

Updated: 12/10/2009 08:07:05 AM MST


Carl Tobias, the Williams Professor at the University of Richmond Law School in Virginia. The federal courts passed an important milestone when United States District Judge Dale Kimball of Utah assumed senior status, a form of semi-retirement, after a dozen years of dedicated service. Judge Kimball's assumption of senior status means that the federal judiciary currently has 97 empty seats out of the 858 appeals and district court judgeships. These vacancies, which make up 11 percent of the lower court positions, erode prompt, economical and fair case resolution. Now that the 111th Senate is approaching the conclusion of its initial session, President Barack Obama should promptly nominate, and the Senate must expeditiously confirm, appellate and district court judges so that the federal bench will be at full strength.

http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_13961535

We need these seats filled NEXT YEAR!

We need the progessive causus to start demanding "GET ER DONE"

AND NO REACHING OUT TO THE GOP!

PUT LIBERAL JUDGES IN THESE SEATS!

[MineralMan]

1. It's too late this year, but all those seats should be filled

early in 2010.

Other things to do in 2010 that I consider a must:

End DADT
Repeal DOMA
Set firm schedule for withdrawal from Iraq
Pass a Public Option addition to the HCR bill

[Joanne98]

4. You're right., I'm should have said next year.

But I fixed it!

Thanks!

:hi:

[dhpgetsit]

2. GOP obstructionism. Dems need to be talking about changing the rules.

[MidwestTransplant]

3. Let's wait until we don't have 60 seats to fill them.

[Bitwit1234]

5. This is what the republicans did to Clinton

put holds on, denyed and wouldn't fill the judges seats. There were almost 200 vacancies when bush stole office. And then the republicans declared it was a sin not to fill those vacant seats. Guess this is what they are trying to do now. Keep the vacancies and hope a republican gets in.